Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:56:29-2:58:34

Could the Deutschland class be made faster?

Diesels allow only a modest gain; a major speed increase requires steam machinery and therefore a substantially different internal and armament layout.

Deutschland Class CruisersDiesel PropulsionMarine EngineeringShip DesignSteam Turbines
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Question

Could the Deutschland-class ships be made significantly faster?

Short answer

Not on the same diesel arrangement. A major speed gain would require steam machinery and a substantially redesigned ship.

Notes

Contemporary diesels allowed only a limited increase in Deutschland's speed. A larger increase would require a steam plant and a changed ship design. Combining steam machinery with an all-forward armament would also require a different layout. Such a ship is considered possible, but it would differ substantially from the historical Deutschland class.